Ermine

Ermine is the fur of an animal also called ermine
(Mustela erminea), of the weasel family, commonly found in Northern
Eurasia.

The family of Mustelidae, made of carnivorous mammals, comprises three
subfamilies:

Lutrinae: otter (Lutra) and sea-otter (Enhydra)

Melinae: badger (Meles), skunk (Mephitis), etc

Mustelinae: wolverine (Gulo) and weasel (Mustelae)

Within the weasel (Mustelae) group, one finds the marten (genus
Martes, including the sable or Martes zibellina) and the
weasel proper (genus Mustela) including the polecat or Mustela
putorius, ferret or Mustela furo, mink or Mustela lutreola,
and ermine.

The ermine's fur is brown on top and yellowish white on bottom; but,
in winter, it turns white. At all times, the tip of the tail remains black.
The fur has long been prized. The animal is fairly small, so that a number
of furs would be sown together to form a coat or lining. Usually, the distinctive
black-tipped tail would be left on, perhaps as an indication of an authentic
ermine, resulting in a white coat with black spots at regular intervals.

This pattern was imitated in heraldry, as early as the second half of
the 12th c., and came to be one of the two main furs. Its appearance
is a white field with a regular pattern or semy of ermine spots. The shape
of the spot varied over time and place, although its standard form nowadays
is that of 3 dots arranged in triangle, with a kind of tail extending downward
and flaring out. The spot itself is a charge, and can be used on its own,
in specified numbers, or to form a design. Fox-Davies cites Llyod, bishop
of Worcester 1700-17: Argent a chevron between three crows sable,
in each beak an ermine spot.

The coloring scheme of ermine can also be changed. Spots argent on sable
is called ermines (Gegenhermelin in German), spots sable
on or is called erminois (Goldhermelin in German) and
spots or on sable is called pean. French blazon calls ermines contre-hermine.
All other variations are described as herminé or semé
d'hermines (for example, erminois is d'or herminé de sable).

Examples

The most famous use of ermine is in the arms of Brittany: ermine
plain. Originally, Pierre "Mauclerc" de Dreux (died 1250),
second son of Robert de Dreux and grandson of Louis VI of France,
differenced the arms of his father (chequy or and azure a bordure gules)
with a quarter ermine, which was a common mark of cadency until the 14th
c. He married Alix, heiress of Brittany; his great-grandson Jean III of
Brittany changed his arms to ermine plain in 1316.